To end Australia Week let us ask a question. Where would the world be without the music coming from Down Under? Consider the cultural impact made by these bands and artists: AC/DC, Midnight Oil, INXS, The Vines, Hoodoo Gurus, The Church, Natalie Imbruglia, Nick Cave, Counting Crows and so so many others. And don’t deny the guilty pleasures of The Bee Gees, Savage Garden and Air Supply. You know you sing along at the top of your lungs to “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” when you’re alone in the car.

Australia’s most important export may be its culture. And in truth, wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all had a little Aussie in us?

For the finale of Australia Week let’s do a flashback to one of my all-time favourite bands from the Land of Oz, Men At Work. Can’t you hear the thunder?

So far Australia Week has taken us to Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. And today our tour of Australia takes us to Melbourne. We’ve covered goodbyemotel a couple of times on here already. And they continue to impress. Check out the video for “Graham Calender”. This was the first single released off their latest EP released in September 2012 entitled People.

Projects akin to Sounds Like Brisbane provide an invaluable service to the indie music lover. It gives an opportunity to check out a bunch of pre-vetted bands quickly and at no risk. Who wants to lay down hard cash on some obscure band you’ve never heard before? For me, a similar project in 2005 called the Labrador Summer Sampler from Labrador Records totally opened my ears to a whole new world of music. I found bands I still follow today. SLB has done the same thing.

So, what exactly does Brisbane sound like? If you judge by the electic mix of artists on the Sounds Like Brisbane sampler…well, Brisbane sounds like anything the hell you want it to. Punk, folk, pop, rock, rap, whatever. From SLB Froglix has made mention, reviewed or played DZ Deathrays, I Heart Hiroshima, The Medics, Carry Nation, Texas Tea, Undead Apes, and more.

Today I introduce Regurgitator. This is not my usual cup of tea; but, their difference to what we’ve covered on here before is precisely what showcases the musical diversity of this city. And besides, I find the video for “All Fake Everything” incredibly amusing.

One of my favourite new bands from anywhere right now happens to come from Sydney. So of course I was going to try and include Circle (check out my original review if you are so inclined) in Australia Week if I could. And they make it so easy. It seems they are releasing a “studio demo” every other week now, teasing us with what they’re working on.

The latest creation they’ve let us have a peek in on is “Shake It Off”. It’s interesting hearing the bare bones germ of a song. And this track has me very excited to hear the final product.

On the first day of Australia Week we are looking back to two bands that made their appearances in our inaugural year of 2009. And unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything from either of these guys since. Black Knight and Highway Blonde (formerly Smart Artists) are both solidly in the rock genre. Highway Blonde is a bit more modern rock while Black Knight is a bit more on the post-punk side of things. Over the years I’ve found myself humming a tune or two from these guys. It’s always a testament to me whether a band is good or not if one of their songs can find their way into your head just out of the blue.

So, without anything new since 2009 from either, check out a couple of videos from their glorious pasts….

I’m announcing this coming week as Australia Week here at Froglix Radio. From Australia’s pristine beaches to its rugged outback, this island continent holds a rich diversity made evident in its music. Over the last few years on Froglix we’ve heard everything from alt-rock to folk to electronica. From the hard-edged to the comfortably heart-felt. From the sincere to the quirky.

So this week we’ll take a look at some of that musical diversity. Take a trip way back to our launch in July of 2009 and revisit some of the artists on our very first broadcasts. Get an update or two on artists in our current playlist. And check out a couple of bands yet to be heard on this venue.

So make sure and get your fix of Aussie everyday this week. It’s no farther than your Froglix Radio.

A few months ago I came across “Raconte-Moi Une Historie” from M83 and at the time I thought this was a perfect soundtrack for Froglix Radio! Then a few weeks ago I came across this apropos slideshow to accompany the song. Too good to not share.

By the way, if you aren’t familiar with M83, perhaps you should know more about this musical project led by Anthony Gonzalez. Hailing from the coastal town of Antibes France, their better known tracks include “Midnight City” and “We Own The Sky”. And perhaps my favourite is “Reunion”. The opening has a bit of a nostalgic feeling to it… maybe Howard Jones-ish? There’s probably a better match but that’s what came to mind first. Either way, if you like the ethereal side of music then you’ll enjoy the lush synth strings and layered textures offered by M83.